New iPhone leak confirms how ambitious Apple really is

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Speculation may have been rampant for some time and despite no rumors being quashed at the Apple event in March, anticipation can once again start rising after the iPhone SE 2 was pretty much confirmed in a new leak.

This information comes from the Eurasion Economic Commission, a regulatory body that has listed a number of Apple handsets that are not yet available. Typically, models listed with the EEC show up a few months later. Tim Hardwick has noted:

The EEC filing, published on Tuesday, satisfies Russia’s requirement for companies to register all products containing encryption and/or cryptographic tools. On February 19, the EEC revealed the existence of two new models of iPad, which proved to be the Wi-Fi and cellular versions of Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad unveiled on March 27, so there’s a decent chance the new model numbers identify iPhones tipped for a May or June launch. Several new models of MacBook were also registered with the EEC in May of last year, and those laptops were announced at WWDC 2017.

Is an iPhone SE 2 likely? It might not have this exact name but people are expecting a “cheaper” iPhone to make an appearance in Apple’s 2018 portfolio. Many have said that this a continuation of Tim Cook’s strategy to sacrifice market share and sale numbers in favor of higher margins and more expensive iOS-powered smartphones.

The iPhone X will also be replaced this year and is likely to be an updated model (perhaps called the iPhone X 2) with a larger phablet-focused device called the iPhone X Plus joining it. The third model is expected to be a replacement for the iPhone 8 with an LCD screen and likely utilising older production techniques. It’s cheaper model may be priced within the same $799 bracket. This is the mythical iPhone SE 2 device, although it does not exactly fit with the ethos of the SE if a cheaper price is part of the brand.

The iPhone SE was launched back in 2016 so we’ve already passed the two year product cycle window. If the EEC timing is as spot on as it has been in the past, there’s a chance we’ll see the iPhone SE 2 before September of this year. In that case, it’s worth looking out for it at the WWDC in June.